As I finished up my client’s look by lightly straightening her hair and adding some serum, I remember her saying, “Why have I been doing so much to my hair for so many years?” That remark shows the impact of my work and what relaxed hair can do for you. The starting point with relaxed hair is smooth and sleek and most importantly, it serves as a great base to build any style on top of. This means that even the simplest styles will look extremely polished.
My goal is to show you styles that embody the best version of yourself and the best version of your hair for those moments when you need it to be functional. That means the style will work for you on a busy Tuesday morning when you’re running late as well as for a gorgeous appointment at a salon with a pretty backdrop. I’ve worked hard to curate this list around styles that are low maintenance, grow out well, and help women to feel ‘put together’. I believe this is the essence of the list. However, there are also some colors that I personally believe are underrated with relaxed hair. The same goes for some styles that I would highly recommend considering if you want to update your look.
#1: Long Layers That Catch the Light Just Right
This is one of those haircuts with a layered effect. The layers are long enough so that you will keep the same overall length, but they’re positioned to still allow the hair to move and sway when you walk, which is really the best case scenario for getting a layered haircut. The shine on the hair is also insane and that level of gloss is certainly not an accident. This person is using a good glossing serum and they probably sleep on silk. If your hair is medium to thick and you’re bored with the same length, this is the option for you! This style looks great on day one, but even better when you wrap it and wear it for a few days.
#2: That Blue Though, Long and Straight with Color That Doesn’t Apologize
It is always nice to hear customers wanting the colors to pop. Not the subtle hints that you have to be standing in the sun to see, but bold, in-your-face colors. The blue is just that! The base is still dark and healthy looking, the blue just weaves like it belongs there, and the little bit of wave around the face means it is not too stark. This being said, vivid colors on your hair is a big commitment because you’re dealing with two different processes. So if you choose to go this way, ensure your stylist is experienced and you are diligent with your deep conditioning in the weeks between your appointments.
#3: A Quiet Ombre That Grows Out Like It Was Planned
The blending from dark roots to lighter ends is so seamless with straight hair! The flowing color looks so much better than a solid block of color. What I really like about this type of ombre is how nice it looks as it grows out! You don’t have to go to the salon as much for root touch ups because dark colors are going to be incorporated into the fade. The ends do need to get styled, so make sure you have a leave in conditioner. Don’t skip your trims because your ends will get dry.
#4: The Blunt Bob That Makes People Ask Who Your Stylist Is
When it comes to styling hair, a straightened blunt bob radiates class and sophistication with its easy styling options. Sitting comfortably on the shoulder, this style does not get in the way. Whoever transformed this hair clearly did not skimp on the flat iron as the shine and sleekness on this hair is immaculate. It is true that some hair cuts require extra maintenance beyond the initial investment. For example, consistent appointments every 5 weeks for a trim will be necessary to keep the ends sharp and fresh. The money spent on those appointments really adds to the overall look and translates to an expensive look for this hair cut.
#5: Glossy Layers with That Little Bit of Bounce at the Bottom
This style is great because it is simple long hair but the layers create movement at the bottom so it doesn’t fall flat. This is a perfect choice for those with finer more relaxed hair, as the layers make the hair look fuller without having to volumize it. Generally, in this style, I see the stylist adding too many layers creating a stringy effect, but here the layers are done right. This is finished off very well with the long soft layers and the healthy glass-like shine from good hair care.
#6: High Ponytail with Baby Hairs Laid Just So
I realize that creating a sleek ponytail may appear simple, but it is primarily the minute details that matter. The base is completely bump-free, the length of the ponytail is dramatic, but it does not weigh the hair down, and the baby hairs are styled well, but not overly done. I do want to bring up something that most people won’t mention. If you’re going to be wearing tight hairstyles like a ponytail for a long time, you need to give your edges a break. Far too many women I’ve seen suffer from traction alopecia as a result of too many ponytails. So I get that this is for a special event, but once it’s done, please take it out, do an edge recovery oil treatment, and let your hair rest.
#7: Long and Straight with a Side Part That Frames Everything Perfectly
The side part is transformative as it changes the shape of the whole face and gives structure to what would otherwise be a simple straight style. The healthy look of the hair is even more important than the actual cut. Dry, damaged hair means that even the best haircuts won’t garner any attention and will be wasted. This style is a testament to the results from your weekly washing and conditioning, as well as the protein treatments and all the other things you do between appointments.
#8: A Lob That Looks Like You Didn’t Try Too Hard
I do a lot of lobs and, for me, the best lobs are the blunt ones. No wispy ends, no annoying graduated layers, just a simple, honest line that hits above the shoulders and screams, “I’ve got my life together.” The placement of these blonde highlights is super strategic. They hit the face just right and do not look like a full head, and on straight hair, that sort of subtle dimension is really interesting, especially in between cuts. The style is really a trim-every-five-weeks kinda style. The second those ends become uneven, it really, really, really loses the effect. But if you maintain it, this is one of those hairstyles that you can do literally anything in- from the gym to dinner, and you won’t have to change a thing.
#9: Long, Glossy, and Parted to the Side Like Old Hollywood
At the front, there is a slight bend that makes it look like there is a wave that starts, then stops, and that is the detail that sets this style apart from the rest of the long, straight hairstyles. The rest of the hair is lovely length that is shiny and well looked after. In relaxed hair, this means the person wraps their hair at night and uses good product in the daytime. Not every long straight style needs something ‘extra’ to be interesting. I believe sometimes the hair makes the statement and this is one of those examples.
#10: Simple Straight and Parted, the Kind of Hair That Just Looks Expensive
From my experience, I understand that most people think this style is easy because it appears so basic. However, this is exactly what makes it that much harder; there’s nothing to hide behind. No layers, no colors, no textures, etc. This is that style; to pull this off, your hair has to be truly honest and natural. You want soft hair with lengths just grazing the shoulders and a finish that’s smooth, but not flat. Most underestimate how difficult this style actually is. If this is the style you want, a good lightweight shine serum is a must! It will make or break this style.
#11: Center Part, Long, and So Sleek It Almost Looks Like Water
Long, straight hair and a deep middle part is a look that can be amazing or harsh, and with this face shape, it is definitely working. If you have a round face, I would suggest a slight shift to an off-center part, but for oval and heart shapes, this is stunning. It really opens up the face and draws focus to the features. The thickness of the hair is also a plus, and blunt cuts help with this. A middle part with very thin hair can risk exposing the scalp, so if that’s you, you may need a keratin treatment to create enough thickness to pull it off.
#12: Copper That Actually Looks Like Copper, Not Orange
I want even more clients to try warm coppers on relaxed hair. They are so beautiful! The challenge is making sure they’re warm enough to avoid that brassy orange hue, but not so warm that they just look brown. Especially on dark hair, that takes a real colorist to know how far to go. The center parting means the color is balanced and it’s long enough to give that retro feel. Of course, a bright color like this will fade, but that’s what a color-depositing conditioner is for. It’ll keep your hair looking salon fresh and not like whatever you didn’t sign up for.
#13: Deep Side Part with All That Length Swept Over
Symmetry combined with a deep side part is simply stunning. Picture yourself with long and straight hair that radiates symmetry. It gives the impression that you just woke up and decided to style your hair this way. The flow of the hair makes controlling the styles super easy, especially when the hair is already relaxed or straight and is easier to work with. I feel like this is one of those hairstyles that has the opportunity to get better as the day goes on and especially get better when you hit that moment where the style feels really slick and clean at the start of the day but then at the end it likely won’t have that nice lived-in texture quality to it that will actually make it look better than it did when you first walked out the door.
#14: Long, Straight, and Polished Without Looking Like You Spent an Hour
If you want that shiny, glass-look finish to your hairstyle, I can share a secret that most other people don’t mention in their tutorials. This look isn’t just about the flat iron; it’s about the blowout. If your hair isn’t dried and smoothed first, you will be going over the same sections multiple times and that’s where you cause a lot of damage. With proper prep, you should only need to do one good pass. It is possible to achieve this look, but if your hair is damp, you will experience breakage no matter how many passes you do. That’s the key difference.
#15: Sleek Layers That Move When You Do
My favorite styles are the ones where the customer has a lot of blended layering detail, and you can’t even tell the layering is there until the customer turns their head and there is so much movement and softness that a blunt cut definitely wouldn’t do the trick and this is exactly that! The layers start long and are cut just a tiny bit shorter around the face, which is super flattering and gives that look of, “my hair just naturally falls like this” which is a look people pay a lot of money for. If someone were to ask me for a simple, yet gorgeous modification on straight hair, this would be my recommendation. It doesn’t involve color or a huge chop, and quite frankly it’s all about the skill of the cut!
#16: A Textured Bob That Has Some Personality
Most bobs don’t offer this type of texture with real movement, volume, and liveliness! The back is cut short and front left long to create a nice line along the jaw. The body throughout the crown shows me there was some round brush blow drying to create this shape. For someone wanting to change from long relaxed hair, this cut is different enough to be exciting and completely wearable so you won’t panic on Monday morning!
#17: Angled Bob with Highlights That Know Their Place
I love how with highlights, they do what highlights are meant to do, add some light, some dimension, and not take over the whole hair. The angle on this bob sits really nicely right at the jaw, which is the most flattering length for a short cut on most people as it shows off the neck and the earrings and makes you look so pulled together without much effort if the hair is done. Consider it a plus when a haircut looks great as it grows out because not everyone can come back every four weeks, and a style that falls apart between appointments isn’t a good style even if it looks great on day one.
#18: Long and Straight with a Warmth That Glows
There are warm shades in the color that bounce light beautifully. It’s a black color that isn’t flat and isn’t overtly colored. It really looks like amazing hair. The length is what makes this special too. It is really impressive because mid-back length relaxed hair that looks this healthy means that the owner is doing protective styling and maintaining their treatments for a long time. The ends are full, not see-through, which tells how well this hair has been cared for.
#19: Long Sleek Hair with Highlights Woven Through
My favorite highlighting method is where the focus is mid-lengths and ends rather than the top. This technique will highlight in a way that captures the sun’s warmth more naturally and will also avoid harsh lines from regrowth. You won’t feel the need to book an appointment as soon as your roots start showing. With relaxed hair, this technique is clever as it minimizes how much overlap there is where the chemicals go next to the scalp, and it still gives you lovely dimension and depth. This finish is really nice and the aim is to have the color enhance the sleekness, competing with the sleekness is the opposite of what you want.
#20: Balayage on Relaxed Hair That Actually Looks Natural
I’m a little bit picky about balayage on relaxed hair since I’ve seen more botched jobs than good ones. This is one of the good ones. The highlights are soft and start little by little. The biggest concern with combining lightener and relaxers is dry, over-processed hair. These highlights are not doing any of that. The straight cut keeps it polished and the shine shows good maintenance between appointments. If you want to try this on relaxed hair, be prepared to look hard. There’s a reason poorly done balayages on relaxed hair are so common; the assumption that there’s a standard balayage technique is a misconception, and relaxer hair isn’t porous like regular hair. Because of that, the approach needs to be different.
#21: Long and Straight with Layers That Just Barely Frame the Face
Even though those face-framing pieces might be hard to spot in pictures, they help a lot in person because they add softness to the look without breaking up the length. I see some color at the roots which shows me this may be actually growing out a previous color or some experimenting with something new, either way it adds a bit of visual interest that I don’t mind at all. This is a low-fuss style on relaxed hair. You wrap it at night, take it down in the morning, and maybe run a flat iron over the front pieces if they’ve gone a little wayward, and you’re out the door.
#22: The Blunt Bob, Again, Because It Deserves Two Spots
Another blunt bob has made my list! I won’t be removing it because this one is a workhorse and each hair density and face shape variation makes it look different! This version has its uniqueness. The gloss finish is doing a lot of lifting and if you have fine relaxed hair that may go flat, a blunt bob will be your friend, as the solid line at the bottom provides the illusion of thickness which layers would take away. All this style asks you is to keep your trims up and invest in a good thermal protectant.
#23: Straight Down the Middle, Long, and Looking Like a Million Dollars
I appreciate when people wear their hair in the middle of their head because it looks neat and organized, especially when their hair is straight and shiny like this. Ladies with longer hair often seem to think their hair looks best when it is at maximum length, but in my opinion, at some point beyond a certain length, a person’s hair can cheapen their aesthetic or even make their hair look thinner. My hair is pretty long but I think this is a great length especially because it is not so long that it gives that weighed down look. I do recommend that clients use a nourishing serum to keep the ends from looking like straw, but instead looking shiny and like glass.
#24: Auburn with Side Swept Bangs, and Yes I’m Obsessed
Some stylists have strong opinions on bangs with relaxed hair, but I personally think side-swept bangs are a good idea! They are less of a commitment than a full blunt fringe and you won’t have to style your bangs every day. Your outfit and your lighter auburn hair color are fabulous and make the whole look pop! The color is warm and rich and catches the light beautifully. It’s much nicer than just plain black! The only thing I would mention is that you’ll need to trim your bangs more than you’d think. Ideally every 2-3 weeks, so just something to keep in mind.
#25: Long, Sleek, with Just a Whisper of Movement at the Ends
The bend at the ends of the hair shifts the style from “I straightened my hair” to “my hair just does this.” This difference is incredibly important. The length of the hair is stunning, the part is very precise, and it just looks so healthy. That is how good relaxed hairstyles look, and hair can’t look healthy from styling products, it has to be healthy. The hair looks like it is a consistent result of deep conditioning, regular protein treatments, and no daily heat to the hair, even if I know that is really difficult.
#26: Soft Layers at the Ends, Like the Hair Just Decided to Be Pretty
These layers are only on the bottom. I do this technique a lot on clients who want keep to their length but feel like something is missing. Adds just enough shape so the hair doesn’t look like a curtain. The middle part and fine to medium density give this an effortless look as if this person just woke up and their hair was cooperating. A good heat protectant prior to any flat ironing will prevent the ends from getting crispy, which is where most of the damage tends to show on longer hair.
#27: Glossy, Straight, Parted to the Side, and Ready for Anything
A work meeting to dinner, no adjustments. That’s as much as I can compliment a hair style, but this one gets it. The side part is next level, and that shine? Jealous. I can see how some people might think it was done with no effort at all. Obviously, it will take some upkeep like a silk or satin pillow case, and maybe a light anti-humidity spray if the weather is working against you.
#28: Long and Straight with Bangs That Mean Business
I understand that blunt bangs can be divisive, and some stylists may not recommend them on straight hair because of the maintenance, but examples like this demonstrate how bangs can transform a hairstyle for the better. The bangs are thick enough to sit right without splitting, and the long straight hair balances nicely so the bangs don’t overshadow the entire face. The subtle highlights help to work with the length to direct attention and add warmth. If you do decide to get bangs, know that you and your flat iron will become close, especially in the summer months.
#29: Center Part, Long, and Perfectly Unbothered
Wearing a white t-shirt with a pair of jeans is a classic look. In the same way, this hairstyle is also very appealing while also being simple. The middle part is clean and the hair is long up to the shoulders and well layered to give it a nice bounce, and shine. What I love most is that it looks really easy to do. It doesn’t look like a style that takes place in a salon and it doesn’t look like it takes much time at all. In fact, this is something you could do on a Wednesday afternoon after a busy week when your hair is just doing its thing. So it will be great to not have to spend a lot of time to achieve great looking hair.
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